I have been following your posts about the abuse from your grandfather and I was wondering when you would take a step like this. Good for you! And I'm especially glad you ditched the watch - to you it's just a foul trinket and you're so much better off without it.

Much love,Larry

_________________________Nobody living can ever stop meAs I go walking my freedom highway.Nobody living can make me turn back:This land was made for you and me.(Woody Guthrie)

I started my section hike on the Appalachian Trail this past week. The trail has become a spiritual odyssey for me. I get to have very candid conversations with God... sometimes laughing, other times bent over crying and other times SCREAMING at God. My first day on the trail included all of the emotions above.

As my first day on the trail concluded, I showed up at my first Shelter (Gooch). I was the first hiker to arrive that evening. As I was setting up camp, another hiker showed up, trail name Papa Wolfe. He was a man my age (48) and his son, and his son's best friend showed up later (they had gone into the nearest town for pizza). I was sad because I usually hike with my son and future son in law who are around these young mens ages. It was the last day of their 4 month hike and it was the first day of my AT journey.

In the shelter there is a spiral bound notebook in which hikers write entries. Papa Wolfe wrote a long entry addressing all the hikers who had impacted him over the four months.

The next morning, we all ate breakfast and visited for awhile as we gathered up gear and prepared to hit the trail.

We had a special connection.. they were Christian brothers who were hiking for a cause (missionary in S. Korea who takes in abandoned babies). They memorized Psalm 18:30-36 for the trail and he quoted it from memory to me... I was moved beyond words.

They hit the trail shortly before I did. But before I left I wanted to make my own entry. I picked up the notebook... flipped it open and to my SURPRISE... there was a pocket watch

Papa Wolfe left a pocket watch and stated... I carried this south from Maine to Georgia... will someone please carry it back from Georgia to Maine.

I picked up the watch and have taken on the task.... along with Psalm 18:30-36

It did not hit my until late in the day what the watch symbolizes for me.. the pocket watch has BEEN RETURNED for the journey.

I read your poem and the rest of this thread.i was moved by the poem and found it quite significant how that symbol of the pocket watch had come around again.i hope you will follow up again as you continue and finish your journey on the trail - to tell us what it all means to you now.

wishing you good hiking,Lee

_________________________
"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself... And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity." - Paulo Coelho

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